Biden points to Aurora in IAFF speech

By Alexander Burns

07/25/12 02:04 PM EDT

Vice President Joe Biden told a convention of firefighters Wednesday that Mitt Romney and the Republican Party are bent on budget cuts that would undermine essential local services, and he pointed to last Friday's shooting in Colorado as an example of the nation's reliance on first responders.

In an emotional speech to a quiet room here in Philadelphia, Biden declared to the International Association of Fire Fighters that the GOP views them as "the community's problem," and quoted Romney's pledges to cut spending deeply.

"This new Republican Party looks at you as both the reason for and the solution to this godawful recession we inherited," Biden said. "They look at your ranks and they see an easy place to cut budgets to accommodate their priorities — not just you, but cops, public workers generally. Don’t take my word for it. Just listen to what Gov. Romney — who by the way, is a good family man, a guy who means well, I think part of the problem is, I don’t think he just gets you."

Biden repeatedly argued that Romney is out of touch with the values of firefighters and other middle-class voters, telling his audience that the GOP's intent to focus on slashing budgets and keeping upper-income taxes low would hurt their communities.

"He said, I quote, guaranteeing the government will keep its fire, police and teachers intact is not an effective way to get the economy rolling again. Tell that to the store owner who, without you, may lose everything they own," Biden continued. "He further said — referring to Gov. Romney — my own view is that right to work is the right way to go, and I’d like to see it on the national level as well. Did you think that we’d be fighting these fights again in 2012?"

Democrats have targeted Romney throughout the general election for comments criticizing public employee unions and opposing federal funding for local workers, including firefighters, police and teachers.

Biden offered a more charged version of that criticism in Philadelphia. He closed by pointing to last week's massacre in Aurora as an example of the value of first responders. The 58 survivors of the shooting, Biden said, survived because of police, firefighters and emergency medical teams.

"They're alive, those 58 people, because of you. You arrived on the scene in a timely way, you got them the immediate help," Biden said. "Friday morning, you were on the scene at the shooter's apartment. You were there, you were prepared to respond because you were told it was booby-trapped. You didn't know whether the whole complex would blow up, whether people in the area would go. But you were there ready to do whatever was needed if the worst happened."

"Look, I think I know you guys," Biden finished. "We owe you. Every now and then, it's worthy and worth it just to remind people."